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My great great grandfather, John Puleston, was born in 1786 and was the son of Edward Puleston of Pentre Coch, Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd, near Ruthin, Denbighshire, Wales and his wife Jane (nee Jones) of Llysfasi, near Llanfair DC. He was baptised on 1 February 1786 at the church of St Cynfarch and St Mary, Llanfair DC:

On 25 July 1826, at Treuddyn, near Mold, Denbighshire, John married Mary Jones (baptised 14 October 1790 at Treuddyn Church, daughter of John Jones and his wife Anne, nee Davis, of Ffrith Farm, Treuddyn):

Record of John and Mary's marriage in the Parish Register of Treuddyn Church

The marriage was by licence and was conducted by Isaac Williams, Assistant Curate. The witnesses were Henry Jones and Ann Jones. The application for the licence, signed by John Puleston, is in the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth. It was dated 18 July 1826.

Licence for John and Mary's marriage at Treuddyn Parish Church

Embossed stamp on front of Mary Jones's New Testament

John was a well-to-do farmer and he and Mary lived at Fron Farm, 2 miles from Pentre Coch, near Llanfair DC and, from at least 1931, at Plasnewydd, Llanfair DC.

CHILDREN

They had the following children:

John, born 31 October 1827, died 1828.

Sir John Henry Puleston, born 2 June 1829 at Fron Farm, died 19 October 1908.

Edward, born 15 May 1834 at Plasnewydd, died 25 July 1903 in Current Township, Missouri, USA.

1837 ADVERT FOR SALE OF PLAS NEWYDD ESTATE

On 2 September 1837, the Plas Newydd Estate was advertised for sale by auction in the Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald and North and South Wales Independent newspaper. The sale included both the mansion and the farm, as well as 206 acres. It described the farmhouse as "recently erected" and "very respectably tenanted" and stated that "Mr Puleston, the tenant of the farm, will show the farmhouse and lands" to those interested in viewing them ahead of the proposed auction of the estate:

1838 TITHE COMMUTATION AGREEMENT

Plasnewydd Farmhouse, Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd, Denbighshire, in 2017

In the Tithe Commutation Agreement of 28 September 1838 for the Parish of Llanfair DC, John Puleston is recorded as the occupier of Plasnewydd Farmhouse and 201 Acres 2 roods and 27 Perches (outlined in red on the tithe map below) owned by Edward Evans and James Lloyd Esq (as Executors of the Late Rev Simon Lloyd) - but not of Plasnewydd Mansion which (together with its Lawn and Garden covered a further 2 Acres 3 Roods and 35 Perches. outlined in blue on the tithe map below) was occupied by Samuel Pierce. The land occupied by John Puleston became subject to annual Rentcharges totalling £17 11s 9d payable to the Vicar of Llanfair DC and £35 3s 6d payable to the "Impropriators" (i.e. the owners). The land occupied by John was a mixture of arable and pasture.

Tithe map showing land occupied and farmed by John and Mary Puleston in 1838 (outlined in red) and Plasnewydd Mansion (outlined in blue). The village of Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd is the cluster of buildings in the bottom left hand corner of the map. The numbers on the fields correspond to the numbers in the table below:

No. on

the Tithe Map

Name & Description

of Lands &

Premises

State of

Cultivation

Quantities in

Statute Measures

Acres Roods Perches

Payable to

Vicar

£ s d

Payable to

Impropriators

£ s d

630

Cae Squbor Tyn

dderwen

Arable

12 2 10

1 2 7

2 5 2

631

Ddol George House

Etc.

Arable

5 2 19

10 8

1 1 4

632

Bronydd Cochion

Pasture

21 2 3

1 12 3

2 4 6

633

Wern fawr

Arable

17 2 13

1 5 6

2 11 0

634

Erw Gwenith & Cae

Person

Pasture

19 3 33

1 10 3

3 0 6

635

Werglodd & Erw

pwll lli

Pasture

12 3 22

1 1 7

2 3 2

636

Werglodd Glan

rafon

Arable

9 3 30

15 11

1 11 10

637

Cae Squbor

Pasture

10 3 20

1 0 8

2 1 4

639

Cae Rhyngyddroy

Ffordd

Arable

12 1 20

1 3 6

2 7 0

640

Cae Eithin

Arable

11 1 36

1 1 3

2 2 6

641

Cae Calch

Arable

7 3 18

14 11

1 9 10

642

Cae Cowper

Arable

8 3 20

16 10

1 13 8

643

Cae Caarri

Arable

10 3 28

1 0 2

2 0 4

644

House & Garden

2 0 0

3 6

7 0

645

Cae tan Llan

Pasture

11 2 29

1 4 6

2 9 0

647 {

Cae Llwyn

Pasture }

{

Cae Odyn Galch &

Pasture }

25 2 6

2 7 8

4 15 4

{

Cae Glan Llyfio

Arable }

TOTAL

201 2 27

17 11 9

35 3 6

1841 CENSUS

The 1841 Census for Llanfair DC recorded the family at Plas Newydd as follows:

John Puleston, age 50, farmer

Mary Puleston, age 45

John Puleston, age 12

Mary Puleston, age 9

Edward Puleston, age 7

all born in Denbighshire, and that they had 3 male and 2 female servants, also all born in the county.

Plasnewydd, Llanfair DC, in 2017

On 29 July 1848, the Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald and North and South Wales Independent newspaper reported:

JOHN'S LIFE

The 18 September 1847 edition of the Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald and North and South Wales Independent newspaper reported a civil action brought against John Puleston by a Mr John Jones. The nature of the dispute is unclear from the newspaper report:

John may also be the Puleston who sued David Jones in the court at Dolgellau, Merionethshire, as reported in the 7 April 1849 edition of the Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald and North and South Wales Independent newspaper:

JOHN'S DEATH IN 1850

John Puleston died at Plasnewydd on 1 March 1850, age 64. There is however no record of his death in the Register of Deaths for England and Wales. The date of his death is recorded in the probate of his will and in this notice that appeared on 16 March 1850 in the Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald and North and South Wales Independent:

John was buried in the churchyard at Llanfair DC on 6 March 1850:

JOHN'S WILL

Extract from John Puleston's will dated 1 November 1849

John's will, dated 1 November 1849, and witnessed by Edward Williams, Husbandman, Plasnewydd and William Lloyd, Well Street, Ruthin, is in the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth (ref B/1851/199). He appointed his wife Mary and son John Henry Puleston as executors of his will. The executors proved the will on 25 February 1851.

John's signature on his will

John left his wife Mary a life interest in all his real and personal property. After Mary's death, John's property was to be divided equally between his children John Henry, Mary Ann and Edward, with one exception. Because of "the expense already incurred by me in paying for the education and bringing up my said son John Henry in the profession of a Surgeon", John directed that John Henry should pay £100 to each of Mary Ann and Edward out of his inheritance.

Valuation of John Puleston's goods at Plas Newydd on his death in 1850

On 13 May 1850, George Jones of Ffrith, Tryddyn, Flintshire and Richard Roberts of Leeswood, near Mold, prepared the above valuation (in the National Library under the same reference) of "the Household Goods and furniture, the Farming Stock and implements of husbandry at Plas Newydd the personal property of the late John Puleston deceased":

The widowed Mary Puleston realised that she could not carry on farming for long. On 7 September 1850, the Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald and North and South Wales Independent newspaper contained the following advert for letting Plas Newydd Farm:

On 17 and 18 March 1851, John Puleston's stock and agricultural implements at Plas Newydd Farm were auctioned on the premises on the instructions of his widow, as shown by this advertisement on 15 March 1851 in the Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald and North and South Wales Independent newspaper:

The above auction notice stated that the household furniture and dairy vessels would be sold "the latter end of April" that year.

1851 CENSUSHowever, the 1851 Census for Llanfair DC recorded John's widow Mary and her family still at Plas Newydd Farm, Garthgynan, Llanfair DC:

Mary later moved to Berth, Llanbedr DC, near Ruthin. Mary died of Bronchitis and "Debility" on 20 December 1867, age 77 (although her death certificate records her age as 78), at London House, Bala, Merionethshire, the home of her daughter Mary and son-in-law, Evan Jones.

JOHN AND MARY'S VAULT AT LLANFAIR DC

John and Mary Puleston are buried together in a large rectangular vault of carved grey slate in the churchyard of the parish church of St Cynfarch and St Mary, Llanfair DC, together with their son Sir John Henry Puleston (1829-1908) and his wife Margaret (1827-1902). The inscription on the vault reads:

"In this vault are interred the Remains of Mr John Puleston of Plasnewydd who died the 1st day of March 1850 aged 64. In the several relations of life he was upright friendly & affectionate and was much esteemed by all who knew him.

Also of Mary relict of the said John Puleston born October 14th 1790, died December 20th 1867.

Also of Margaret dearly beloved wife of Sir John H. Puleston. Born February 14th 1827. Died January 19th 1902. And with the morn those angel faces smile Which I have loved long since and lost awhile.

Also of her husband Sir John H. Puleston JP & DL, Constable of Carnarvon Castle. Born June 2nd 1829. Died October 19th 1908. To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die."

STAINED GLASS MEMORIAL WINDOW TO JOHN AND MARY IN LLANFAIR DC CHURCH

In the north east corner of Llanfair DC church (close to a marble monument to Margaret Puleston and her husband Sir John Henry Puleston) is a large stained glass window donated by Sir John in memory of his parents John and Mary Puleston at a cost of £350. This "East window" was made by Nathaniel J Westlake in 1872, after the church's restoration that year. The inscription on the bottom of the window reads:

"To the honour and glory of God and in affectionate memory of John Puleston and Mary his wife. This window has been erected by their son 1872."

The Gwynedd Archives at Dolgellau contain a Conveyance dated 28 April 1914 between (1) Mary Ann Jones of Bodrenig, Bala, Widow, (2) Robert Lloyd Jones of the Land Valuation Offices, Fairbourne, Barmouth, Valuer, (3) Evan Williams of Tawelfan, Bala, Surgeon, (4) the Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the Borough of Ruthin, co. Denbigh, by which the Corporation agreed to buy for £140 "all that property know as Crispin Yard situate in the town of Ruthin, bounded on the North side by Clwyd Street, on the East side by the Old Mill property, on the South side by the property now or recently belonging to Col. Cornwallis West & on the West side by the river Clwyd", being 1192 square yards, together with the messuages and Cottages and buildings thereon" The Conveyance recites that:

"under and by virtue of the will of John Puleston late of Plas Newydd in the parish of Llanfair D.C. in the County of Denbigh, farmer, dated the first day of November 1849 and proved in the Bangor Consistory Court on the 25th day of February 1851 the said Mary Ann Jones became seized in fee simple free from incumbrances of an undivided 1/3rd...and the said Robert Lloyd Jones was seized in fee simple of 2/3rds" of the land"

by an Indenture dated the 20th day of March 1909 between Robert Lloyd Jones and Owen Jones (of Arenig Street, Bala, Greengrocer)", the latter lent £350 to Robert secured by a mortgage on his 2/3 share of the land.